Q. All right, here with Ally Ewing after her third round here at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions. Just talk about your round, specifically the back nine and just how your week has been so far.
ALLY EWING: Yeah, it's been really good. I would say somewhat low expectations for the week just being the first week out. Some rust still showing up here and there.
To be in at 8-under through three rounds, yesterday that finish was really tough, so to see some birdies, and I gave one away on 16, but really just kind of a patience game on the front nine. I was hitting good shots.
They started falling on the back nine and got in with a 68, so really happy.
Q. What have you learned about this course? Fourth start at this tournament; third start in Lake Nona. What have you learned about this course, how does it suit you, and what are some of the challenges you're still navigating?
ALLY EWING: Yeah, it's great golf course. The layout is really good. It's equally challenging as well as it'll yield some good birdies if you're patient.
I do think there are specific pins out here with the green complexes to navigate, just being smart and hitting away from some of them. Like today that pin on 17, that front right section. You just have to be on the number. So I bailed a little bit left but walked way with a three.
Happy with that.
Yeah, if you drive it really straight, give yourself some good looks, the greens are absolutely perfect right now, so you can roll some good birdies in if you give yourself a lot of chances.
Q. Five Top 10 finishes last year; Solheim Cup. What would you summarize your season last year and how are you taking some of that momentum into '24? What are some goals for this year?
ALLY EWING: Yeah, it was solid. I think the more times that I can be in contention the more comfortable you get, so to start the year off with good play through three rounds, I think that's the main key for me this year. The more times I can find myself on a Sunday with a chance to win a golf tournament, I've looked back in my career and I feel like when I've had a legitimate chance on Sunday I've been able to close.
Obviously we all have times that we haven't. The more times that I feel like I can give myself a chance, obviously percentage-wise it should give you a better chance to break through.
That's what I'm looking at, and peaking at the majors is a big point, too.
Q. I think you made birdie on 18 out here and you run away. Speak to how hard the finishing hole is here at Lake Nona.
ALLY EWING: Yeah, it's really tough. Specifically yesterday even to today, the wind was in our face today. The finish yesterday with the rain and the wind, it's a really tough shot for your approach.
So just being really precise in your target and being committed. It's a really good challenging finishing hole for sure.
Q. Played with a couple of I want to say both have won this event in the celebrity division. What was it like to play with Mark and Mardy?
ALLY EWING: Yeah, it is a lot of fun. Got to play with Mardy the first round so I was excited to play with him again today. Mark was awesome, too.
Obviously they have history playing in this and the Tahoe event and some other events.
Just a lot of fun. We were goofing off a little bit and really just enjoying our walks really between shots. That's what makes this event so cool, is being around such high regarded athletes in their own sports and other industries.
It's really special to walk the fairways with them.
Q. Been out here I want to say five, six seven seasons.
ALLY EWING: I think it's eight.
Q. Eight. For you, what keeps you coming back and motivating you as new things crop up? I know you have some expectations for yourself this season. What keeps you hungry?
ALLY EWING: Yeah, just the competition. Golf is such is difficult sport. There is literally no way to perfect it. There is no perfect round.
So any time that you've had a good round, we've probably all been able to look back and say, ah, I left one out there. So just the hunger of competition.
We get to go to some incredible places and I've met a lot of incredible people through the tour. Yeah, I think this is my eighth year on the LPGA, and just really wanting to compete and test myself each week.
Q. Six of 12, Top 12 are American players. What's your view, big picture view of the state of the American game, especially when you see some of the young players?
ALLY EWING: Yeah, obviously this is a small-field event, but the state of the American golf is great. With Lilia's season that she's had; obviously Nelly had an incredible career so far and she's still so, so young; Megan finally broke out last year.
There are so many incredible athletes and American golfers. But that's what makes the LPGA really special, is that the Americans are great but we're -- it's a very diverse tour. You know, as an American, it makes you want to step up and represent the U.S. the best you can.
That's why Solheim is really cool. I haven't taken a look at the leaderboard yet, but great that we have some great players playing well this week.
Q. Given this year is another Solheim year, Olympic year, so there is kind of like the main focal points if you're an American, how much impetus does that give you guys to have big years?
ALLY EWING: Yeah, so as a Solheim vet I would say it's a competition unlike any other. I haven't been an Olympic athlete yet.
To be able to represent the U.S. at any competition, Olympics or Solheim, it's one of the peaks in my career. I've ban part of three teams and we've unfortunately lost, but still, all three of those Solheim weeks are some of my best and most favorite memories as a professional golfer.
I've said and I'll say it again, once you make a team you don't want to miss one after that.
Q. You're like 33 in the world coming into this year. You win and that changes quickly. To get into that top 15, have you thought about that yet?
ALLY EWING: Yeah, no, I haven't. I mean, as far as calculations, I wouldn't even really know how to calculate. Obviously you know the threshold for who makes it.
In my eyes, we're a long way from that team being chosen. I've always viewed that more I focus on that stuff, the more I lose focus on the things that will get me there.
So for me it's showing up each day, each week, trying to take care of my business, and hopefully by the time those teams are chosen, I'll have a good chance to be on them.
Q. Solheim Cup was a weird deal because you tied but don't have the Cup. What was your lasting emotion of that?
ALLY EWING: Yeah, I mean, obviously really difficult. You hate to tie. You know, I don't think the U.S. team felt like we lost, but at the same time, we did.
So it was a really cool week. Our team room was great. We played some incredible golf. We just came up, you know, just a little bit short. You know, I know there was stuff going back and forth about the whole tie aspect after the Solheim. Some people probably hate it.
It's certainly not fun, but I guess that's the way history has been written and that's how it is. Just have to get that extra point next time.
Q. Half point.
ALLY EWING: Half point.
Q. On your off-season, heard on the telecast one of the days you were hunting.
ALLY EWING: Yeah.
Q. What's that like? What did you do and what did you get?
ALLY EWING: Yeah, my husband and in-laws are into deer hunting, so we -- most of it's done in Texas, but we do have land in Mississippi where my husband and I live as well.
Yeah, some bow hunting. Archery is pretty difficult. It takes some finesse to be able to practice a good bit to where you feel like it's a good idea to go out and do that type of hunting.
Q. Did you get a big buck?
ALLY EWING: I did. I did shoot one buck and I am actually going to go on a trip with my father-in-law after these two weeks, tomorrow see if I see anything.
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